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MHG39353 - Corn Drying Kiln - Brabstermire

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Type and Period (2)

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Full Description

A farmstead comprising one roofed and three unroofed, long buildings, one of which has five compartments and another of which has three compartments, is depicted on 1st edition of OS 6-inch map (Caithness 1877, sheet vii). An unroofed circular structure is shown on current edition of OS 1:10,000 map (1991).
Information from RCAHMS (SAH) 21 December 1995

A mortared stone-built structure comprising some form of kiln, surviving virtually intact to a height of about 8m (sic), with the turf-covered footings of an adjoining rectangular building. The kiln is D-shaped externally and circular inside, 3.5m diameter. Though obscured by humus, lower part of kiln is an inverted, stone-lined cone in manner of typical Highland corn-drying kiln. Above it is a scarcement which must have supported a floor, as kiln is entered at this level by steps in thickness of wall in SW arc. Two series of holes in wall testify to two further floors. The roof is corbelled. There is a square window in N arc and a 'flue-like' aperture in S connecting with adjacent building, which was of two storeys. Footings of deserted dwellings of black-house type occur nearby. Local tradition asserts that this is remains of a distillery and kiln may have been for drying of malt. Alternatively, it may have been a sophisticated form of corn-drying kiln.
Published survey (1:2500) correct. Visited by OS (NKB) 18 August 1982.

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Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred ND 3159 6955 (19m by 17m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	ND36NW
Civil Parish	CANISBAY
Geographical Area	CAITHNESS

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